


A Change Of Plan

by Nununununu



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe, Auguste (Captive Prince) Lives, Auguste POV, Battle of Marlas, Don't copy to another site, Fix-It, M/M, Minor Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince), Paschal POV, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25472521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/pseuds/Nununununu
Summary: In the end, Auguste did not kill Damianos.
Relationships: Auguste & Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29
Collections: Alternate Universe Exchange 2020





	A Change Of Plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HandmaidenOfHorror](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandmaidenOfHorror/gifts).



> Written for the alternate universe prompts:
> 
> -Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon  
> -Character gets another character’s help that they didn’t get in canon
> 
> (Originally posted 06/09; date changed for author reveals)

He didn’t dare expect to be believed; he could only hope for it. Not for his sake, but his brother’s – and for his King and country, and their princes.

Auguste agreed to the audience. That was the first thing, the first step. Paschal had heard much of the Crown Prince’s goodness, his prowess on the battlefield matched only by his greatness of heart.

“It is late,” Rather than chiding him, Auguste greeted Paschal with a smile – not quite the one he would wear in court or greeting a stranger, given Paschal was known to the brothers by virtue of being physician to both the King and late Queen – and he glanced over his shoulder meaningfully even as he drew open the door, and there, sure enough, was the younger prince, curled up in a chair near the fire in his older brother’s chambers, his chin in his hand as he slept. There was affection, unguarded, in Auguste’s gaze, “Don’t wake him.”

“Most certainly I won’t,” Reminding himself not to wring his hands together, Paschal fell to his knees instinctively the moment the door was closed on the princes’ guards, “My prince, I must apologise for the deception; I will accept whatever punishment for it you deem fit. I was not sent here by your father to ensure your health for the morrow’s coming battle, but instead bring you grave news indeed.”

He fumbled for the letter hidden in his robes, inscribed in his brother’s hand before Langren had fled in fear of his life for refusing the orders given to him by the man who sought to become Regent; the very man the King sat alone in council with now.

“Rise,” Concern filled Auguste’s eyes. With another glance at the young Laurent, he beckoned for Paschal to stand even as he accepted the letter, “And tell me all that you have learned.”

*

“You can beat that bloodthirsty Akelion hound,” King Aleron said. Auguste sat in council with him, so late the hour grew towards dawn, long after the man who called himself the King’s brother and his uncle had gone.

“Father, indeed I can,” Auguste was certain of this – the Crown Prince of Akelios was considered by the general Veretian populace to be a buffoon and a hot-head. While Auguste himself preferred to reserve judgement even when it came to his enemies, his instincts informed him that the other rumours regarding Damianos were correct: that the prince excelled at killing.

But to save his people from slaughter, Auguste would ensure he was better. He would defeat Damianos.

And to save his beloved brother from losing his father as well as so recently their mother, he would not allow the King to follow the madman his uncle’s plan.

“However I do not understand your objections to your uncle’s proposal,” Aleron had always valued his brother’s advice; had always had an ear for him above even his sons.

Auguste could only be thankful to Paschal and Paschal’s own brother, Langren the archer, for having the heart and bravery to approach him when the King denied his physician council.

“My King, let us not risk treachery from without or within,” Auguste would convince him, “If leaving our forts will secure victory, then I alone will do so. I will face the Akelion army and challenge Damianos to single combat, and ensure that is sufficient. Without Damianos, Theomedes will crumble and his army descend into shambles. When that occurs, _then_ and only then is the time for all to leave the fort and strike.”

“We Veretians are no cowards,” his father frowned into his cup of wine. For all he would hate to go back on an agreement he had made with his brother, Auguste could see he was starting to see the sense in his son’s objection and alternative proposal.

“Of course not, Father,” Auguste said gently but firmly, and placed his hand over the older man’s to emphasise his point, “Nor are we fools.”

*

In the end, Auguste did not kill Damianos.

They spoke together, before engaging in combat, and Auguste saw the Akelion prince’s gaze stray up towards the walls of the great fort several times, perhaps ostensibly to check for signs of sneak attack. Auguste would be offended, except for the certainty the other prince’s eyes sought out the bright hair and pale face amongst the Veretian observers that was Laurent.

Given his beloved brother’s youth and innocence and the disturbing Akelion habit of taking bed slaves, Auguste could not say he would necessarily sanction a courting were things different – although he would trust his brother to have the final say on it, if it came to that.

“Perhaps in another life, in future years, if he proved willing,” He smiled a little when he saw Laurent – his brother ever curious even about those who were enemies – looking back at Damianos, “You would have to treat him gently, however, or have an angry older brother forever haranguing your back.”

“I – That’s not relevant, you Veretian bastard,” Damianos spluttered a little and also turned red, and Auguste reflected that it was a shame in a way that they were due to try to kill each other, as the Akelion prince then went and shot another look at Laurent that he probably suspected was covert.

It really wasn’t.

They did engage shortly after this, but Auguste had his beloved brother to watch for and fight for, and the lives of his people and welfare of his country, along with the knowledge that if an archer no longer waited for his father, should King Aleron emerge, some other soldier no doubt would with knife or spear or sword in hand.

Aleron had hesitated to do more than order his own guard to shadow his brother, for all the evidence of the would-be-Regent’s wrongdoing. For all he protested such undeserved leniency and found his father’s continued blindness when it came to the man of great concern, Auguste could understand to an extent. He himself would never be able to do something that would cause the slightest harm to Laurent.

That included dying.

So when he fought Damianos, as they inevitably did, observed by both their fathers and Laurent with his hair like white flame in the sunshine, Auguste fought cleanly and fairly as ever to start with – and then, when he saw an opportunity, took it.

“I can’t believe you knocked Damianos out in place of killing him,” Laurent said later, hushed, when it was just the two of them and both armies were abuzz with what had happened. While not one to stoop to blackmail or other such trickery, Auguste had decided such a tactic was the quickest way to avoiding bloodshed, and King Aleron was not one to avoid making the best use of a political prisoner, however displeased he might currently be with Auguste.

Auguste still felt plagued by guilt about using such an underhand tactic, but Damianos was under Paschal’s care now – and watched over by a healthy number of guard handpicked for their loyalty and discretion – and would be returned to King Theomedes and his own side once the Akelions could bring themselves to agree to consider negotiations in place of warmongering.

“I almost can’t believe I did it either,” Auguste held his cherished brother close as Laurent curled into his side, “He fully intended to kill me; I could see it in his eyes.”

“Our uncle believed so too,” Auguste could see the trouble in Laurent’s gaze as the younger prince tilted his head to look up at him, “He said he would provide me comfort, if you fell.”

A chill passed down the back of Auguste’s neck at these words and he thought of the would-be-Regent and his litany of ever more disturbingly youthful pets, along with his father’s proven blindness when it came to the man.

“I will speak to him come morning,” He kept the steel out of his voice only for the sake of his dear innocent brother, “If he touches you –”

“I will tell you immediately,” Laurent’s jaw set and he looked older, for a moment, than his years.

_And I will kill him,_ Auguste pledged.

**Author's Note:**

> _The author's headcanon is that after this fic Auguste foils the would-be-Regent's plot to manipulate the captured Damianos into assassinating the King, Auguste himself and Laurent. Challenging his uncle to single combat, Auguste kills him and thus saves Nicaise from ever encountering the man, along with preventing everything he does to Laurent. Damianos slowly comes to actually talk to the two brothers before being freed to return to Akelios and is ever more charmed by Laurent, although conscious of his youth. Once Auguste becomes King after Aleron passes from natural causes, Damen ends up returning to Vere as part of negotiations towards some sort of peace - however reluctant both sides may be at first - and an older Laurent comes to pay more and more attention to the Akelion Crown Prince in return._


End file.
